Introduction
This essay is a critique of the article called How to be your customer. The article was authored by Sahar Hashemi. The essay was published in the London Business School Journal Issue number 4 of 2013.
Main Body
The main purpose of the article is to address the importance of a customer in the performance of a company. The contribution of the management by viewing itself as the ‘customer’ is fundamental in this regard. With or without the direct contribution or feedback from the consumer, the management should position itself as a client. The administration would consider things that the consumer perceives as satisfactory. The company would hence endeavor to meet the needs from a consumer perspective as opposed to what the company offers. The employees should not be solely attracted by the appraisal system and focus on the organizational structure. They should be convinced that what the company offers satisfactorily meets the needs of the customer. Hashemi sought to emphasize that cus the tomer-focus strategy ensures that the company does not struggle to sell to the end-user (Hashemi, 2013).
The key question Hashemi sought to address is the importance of focusing on the importance of shopper service. The author demonstrates that no matter how much investment is put in the search, the core focus of a business should be founded on ensuring that purchaser needs are met. The answer the author gives to this is that any successful business is customer-focused. The organization should consider whether or not what it is offering would be wanted by the shoppers, according to Hashemi. Further, she states that the bottom-line answer to success is getting the real picture of what the buyer needs and work towards achieving it (Hashemi, 2013).
The most important information in the article is that Hashemi is basing the argument not only on management theories but also on personal experience as a customer. In demonstrating the importance of customer satisfaction, the author gives the example of Will King. Based on the article, the author created King of Shaves, given that he was not satisfied with the foam shaving products. The available products would not meet his needs and probably a large percentage of other clienteles. However, the manufacturers did not put this into consideration. Therefore, to augment the argument, the author states that she started her own business due to the frustrations of not finding what she wanted in the market. When the author established her own business, she further learned why companies fail to address buyer service effectively.
She identifies a scenario where one of her managers would consume products from a competitor, given that the company did not have an outlet in his home surrounding. The gist of this is that the manager had grown further from the needs of the company by distancing himself from the needs of the clienteles despite his epic marketing skills. The top management fails to get the real market situation based on the growing organizational structure. The information the top management receives is often doctored by juniors who are only focused on remuneration and lack patron needs. Hashemi also attests to the importance of buyer service after their engagement with EON customer council. The author states that the success of the council was founded on the fact that its deliberations were focused on issues that mattered to the customer. The members viewed themselves as EON customers (Hashemi, 2013).
Hashemi indicates that it is fulfilling for the management of an organization to oversee and facilitate the overcoming barriers to change. Conclusion by the author is that this is only achievable through persistent focus on the consumer. Once the patron needs are identified, they should be pursued no matter how impossible they seem. The attitude of the management determines how the rest of the employees respond to customer-related issues. When the management shows its commitment to purchaser service, the rest of the company embraces the same. Issues that initially appear impossible gradually become challenges that can be solved. Eventually, the issues become opportunities for the employees to improve punter service, which improves the performance of the organization (Hashemi, 2013).
The benefits that are likely to arise upon taking Hashemi’s line of reasoning seriously are numerous. The views would give a company the capacity to build shopper service as the essence of the business. The objectives of the company are achieved by improving most things for the buyer. The strategy entails focusing on what the purchaser would directly benefit from, as stated in the article. The implications of ignoring Hashemi’s line of thinking are that clients will seek satisfaction from other market competitors, thus reducing the company’s market share and consumer base. The company consequently loses a competitive edge (Hashemi, 2013).
Hashemi’s point of view is that the success of any business largely depends on the effective meeting of customer needs. The author insinuates that patron satisfaction is paramount. Considering her experiences, businesses lose customers to competitors when their needs are not met. The management of any company should strive to get information directly from the customer as opposed to receiving modified information from juniors who may not necessarily be committed to consumer service. The top management should establish a culture where all employees are engaged in improving customer service, as was the case at EON (Hashemi, 2013).
Conclusion
From the article critique above, it is evident that customers are the essential people for any business. Clients act as a means via which the letdown or accomplishment of any trade count on in the market. The satisfaction of customers is the main objective of any business.
Reference
Hashemi, S. (2013). How to be your own customer. London Business School, 4(2), 75-75.